I love a great bowl of chili, especially on a cold day. I’m not here to debate whether beans belong in chili (sorry Texas, I think they do). When it comes to chili, there is no one-size-fits-all recipe. Just as there are different types of chili peppers, there are different types of chili powders, and everyone has their own preferences when it comes to beans, meat, and other ingredients. That said, here is what I think makes a great pot of chili and I think my family and friends agree (I have mountains of licked clean bowls as evidence). We’ll get to the ‘Over The Top’ part next.
The over-the-top character of this story is to mix the meat and spices into a giant meatball or loaf and smoke it over the top of a dutch oven containing your chili ingredients. Once the meatball has reached the desired internal temperature it is broken up and returned to the chili. It’s like dinner and a show! Nothing adds flavor to the dish quite like a story and if a recipe is calling for a “giant smoked meatball” how could it be bad?
Here are a few tips will help you make a delicious batch of chili, no matter what your personal preferences are.
1. Use fresh chili peppers. If you can’t find fresh chili peppers, you can use dried chili peppers, but be sure to reconstitute them before use.
2. To reconstitute dried chili peppers, soak them in hot water for about 30 minutes.
3. When choosing a chili powder, look for one that is made from smoked chili peppers. This will add a depth of flavor to your chili that you can’t get from using a powder made from dried chili peppers. My favorites are the Dark & Smoky from Flat Iron Pepper comapny
4. Use a combination of different beans in your chili. This will give it more texture and flavor. I like to use kidney as a base because they keep their texture after a long cook. Black and pinto beans are a great addion as well.
5. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different meats. Beef, pork, and chicken are all traditional choices, but you could also try using venison, elk, lamb, or turkey.
6. Add some sweetness to balance out the heat. This can be done by adding a little bit of sugar, honey, or even cocoa.
7. Let your chili simmer for at least an hour, and preferably longer. This will allow the flavors to meld and develop.
8. Serve your chili with a variety of toppings, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, diced onions, and chopped cilantro. following these tips, you’ll be on your way to making a delicious batch of Over The Top blue ribbon winning chili.
Over The Top Chili (OTT Chili) – Blue Ribbon Winner
8
servings30
minutes4
hoursIngredients
2 medium yellow onions
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Lbs ground beef (80/20)
1 Lb tri-tip steak
14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes
1 can dark beer
1 cup of strong coffee
12 oz tomato paste
12 oz beef broth
Chili sauce or salsa
60 oz kidney beans
4 chili peppers
- For the Meatball
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
- I like a fairly smooth chili and detest chunky onions, so my preperation starts with breaking down a couple yellow onions and pureeing them in a blender or food processor. I use yellow onions specifically because red or white impart too much sweetess for my liking. I like to be able to control the sweetness through other ingredients.
- Dice your garlic cloves and add a tablespon of olive oil to your dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Lightly toast your garlic and then add the onions to stop the cooking.
- At this point I will add the beans (undrained), broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, hot sauce, chili peppers, coffee and beer. I might even sneak in a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder for a little something extra if I feel it needs it.
- For the Tri-tip: On your grill or in a hot cast iron pan, put a sice sear and bark on your tri-tip roast. I usually do 2-3 minutes per side. I am not concerned with a cooked tri-tip since that will happen later. What I do want is a nice bowned outside. Remove from heat, let cool for a couple minutes and dice it into bite-sized pieces, usually 1/2-1″ cubes will do the trick. Add to your Dutch Oven.
- For the GIANT Meatball: Add Chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder to 2lbs of ground beef. Mix it together with your hands but be careful not to overwork. Shape the meat into a ball or loaf.
- Set up your Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe or EZ-Bake Oven (Looking you Traeger) for indirect cooking. If you set an uncovered dutch oven on a platesetter be sure to use spacers to create an air gap if your dutch oven doesn’t have legs. You can use rolled up aluminum foil or Nuts to lift the dutch oven off the platesetter. If the Dutch Oven sits flat on the platesetter the chili will burn to the bottom. You don’t want that! Bring the temperature up to 300 degrees. Place a cooking grid directly on top of the dutch oven.
Place your giant meatball on the cooking grid directly over the center of the dutch oven
Allow to cook until the meatball reaches an internal temperature of 150. (~ 3 hours).
- Remove the meatball and break apart with a spatula into smaller bite-sized chunks (marvel at the smoke ring!) Return the meatball pieces back to the chili and mix well. Cook for an additional 2 hours or more stirring occasionally to allow the flavors to meld. If the chili seems too thick you can add water to thin it out a bit or another can of dark beer.
- Enjoy with:
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Diced onions
Avocado slices
Tortilla chips
